Divan

Chicago, Illinois

Dinner – January 2025

Final Dane Score: 3.3 — Mixed.

Predictable polish without a payoff.

Divan wants to be impressive. The space is sprawling, dark, and slick, which is the kind of place with high ceilings, long banquettes, and too many light fixtures. There’s a stage in the center, which, when empty, becomes less theatrical and more awkward. We were seated directly beside it, which made for an odd sense of scale. It felt like dining in a venue between soundcheck and showtime.

For a steakhouse, it has the bones of something polished, but the energy is flat. It felt more like a mall-adjacent fine dining concept than a true dining room. The atmosphere came across more performance of luxury than genuine comfort.

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The Meal

We started with a round of cocktails; the "welcome drink", which was essentially a green tea shot repackaged into a martini glass with some foam on top. It wasn’t bad, but it felt like the kind of gesture that’s more for Instagram than the palate. The caviar bites that followed were better. They were well-proportioned, a nice nod toward elegance, but again, they felt like a strategy rather than a standout.

For mains, we went classic: steak and potatoes, and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. The steak itself? It was good. Cooked to temperature and seasoned. But that’s table stakes... literally. At a steakhouse, a $60–$90 cut should leave an impression. The mashed potatoes were smooth and well-executed, and the sides, from the roasted asparagus to the house frites, were fine. Everything tasted as expected and maybe that’s the best way to describe the whole night.

A note here: the server couldn’t answer any of our questions about the wine list. Not a single bottle recommendation, no confidence in the by-the-glass or bottle options. We eventually chose something standard and reliable, but the experience felt clipped.

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The Experience

Divan feels like the kind of place built to impress bachelor party pre-games. It presents as upscale with dark woods, gold logos, French font, “Signature Cuts" but feels a bit hollow. Nothing about the experience was bad. But nothing lingered. For a bill just over $300, I left unmoved. This isn't to say it lacks value entirely. If you’re with a group, looking for a steakhouse that looks upscale and plays the part, it will probably deliver. But for those expecting warmth or surprise, there are better rooms in Chicago

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The Dane Standard

Category Score

Palate 3.4

Atmosphere 3.0

Service 3.2

Identity 3.5

Final Score 3.3 Mixed. Predictable polish without a payoff.

Divan has polish, but not personality. The steak was solid, the caviar cute, and the cocktails trying very hard. You’ll leave full and searching for something a little more memorable.